I was born in a family, where teachers were respected to the point of reverence. It was natural and had become obvious to me even when I was just a child. My father was a respected teacher himself. In the small city of Azamgarh, where I grew, the only occasional outing I had was once in a while stroll with my father to the local market at Chowk, Azamgarh. My father and I would always be engrossed in some animated conversation. Suddenly, grownups (or sometimes even middle-aged persons) would pop out of nowhere, rush towards my father and throw themselves in obeisance at his feet.
Invariably taken by complete surprise, my father would offer generous blessings. On occasions, he could not recall these persons from their faces. They would then be at pains to explain with anecdotes what they had learnt from him and when. I grew up knowing that a teacher could play a very important role in an observant student’s life.
My own student life turned out to be no different. I was always lucky with teachers, most of whom took deep interest in my learning. They fashioned my growth, guiding me into new vistas. As I recall them, an endless string of names and faces crops up in my memory. My heart simply wells up with gratitude. I can never repay their debt.
There is, however, a very special personality that stands out like a colossus in my student life. May interactions with him were far and few in between. Yet, he did something to me that left a deep impact on my consciousness. I feel compelled to acknowledge him and offer my special gratitude to him.
That personality is Mr Shaukat Sultan. He was the Principal of Shibli National College at Azamgarh. My two elder brothers had already studied in this College. I followed them, studying there for 4 consecutive years and passing out in 1971, after having finished my Intermediate and B.Sc.
Shaukat Saheb came from an aristocratic and well-respected family. Lore had it that his father had been an ICS officer. Of such breed, he had an innate knack for administration. Under his able stewardship Shibli National College scaled new heights to become one of the premier educational institutions, under affiliation from Gorakhpur University.
Short and stocky, Shauqat Saheb was always dressed immaculately. In any gathering, his regal personality would shine from afar. He had an aura of authority about him. Of unwavering gaze, he had the ability to engage anyone and everyone and make him listen to him. He had another great asset - a booming voice. It could be heard from a distance and rang with unchallenged supremacy. Shaukat Saheb kept a hawk’s eye on all aspects of college administration. Anything amiss would catch his attention immediately; and, he would take those accountable to task.
Teachers, staff members and students – everyone was in awe of him. Only once in a while, he would leave his chamber to take a rather leisurely round of the college precincts. It was a spectacle - a majestic lion out to inspect his flock. Everyone could smell his presence just like that. An unusual hush would immediately fall over the college campus. In the class-rooms, the teachers would be more cautious and alert. Peons would stand at attention. Loitering students, even those who believed they were local ‘dadas’, would choose to quietly disappear from Shaukat Saheb’s path, taking refuge unobtrusively in some class room or alley.
Keen to attract good students, Shaukat Saheb put in place a policy of incentives for students, securing 1st Division. They were required to pay a token fee of just Rs 1/- every month. There was a stringent condition to ensure that the beneficiaries did not become complacent. They had to put in a consistent performance by maintaining the 1st Division throughout the academic year, even in the 3rd monthly and 6-monthly examinations.
True to his nature, Shaqat Saheb was quite strict even with these supposedly good students. At the end of each examination, especially the 3rd monthly and the 6 monthly, he would personally look into each such student’s result. In case there was a climb down, suggesting non-application of mind or carelessness, the student got a thorough dressing down from Shaukat Saheb. In some cases, the freeship stood withdrawn.
There were those, who secured an overall 1st Division, but did not do so in some specific subject. Even these students, though they retained eligibility for freeship, were summoned by Shaukat Saheb for some nudging.
It used to be an uncomfortable time. The result sheets would be before Shaukat Saheb. He would glance through the overall results, compare them with those of the last examinations and pass some comments. Then he would zero in on the specific subject in which one had not done well enough. He would express his displeasure in no uncertain terms; and, would extract a promise from each student that he would do better the next time. Only then one could get away from his office. It could not be an empty promise and had to be fulfilled in the next examination, if one wished to avoid a harsher dressing down the next time.
In the 4 years, I spent in Shibli National College, there were at least two occasions, when I too received the much dreaded summons to appear before Shaukat Saheb and to explain why I not done well enough in certain subjects. I remember very clearly one such occasion.
I was in Class-XII (Intermediate Final). The 3rd monthly had got over and I was called in. I was a bit cheesed off, when Shaukat Saheb, in his characteristic growl, demanded an explanation from me as to why I had not done well in Hindi, in the recently concluded 3rd monthly. I was shocked. Actually, I had secured above 60% marks in Hindi. I tried to tell him that. He was, obviously, not pleased. He carefully read out to me the marks I had secured in each of the three Hindi papers. My overall total was above 60% but I had secured lesser marks in one paper.
Shaukat Saheb admonished me in a raised voice and said, “We expect better and more consistent performance from a good student like you. Should we not?” Speechless, I could only nod in assent. The interview was over. Shaukat Saheb waived me off with a warning to do better in every single paper of Hindi in the 6 monthly.
All of my teachers in Shibli National College had always been very encouraging and loving. I came to develop great fondness for each one of them. But, I always remained in awe of Shaukat Saheb. I looked upon him as figure of authority, so obsessed with improving the results that he wanted his boys to be performing robots. To me, he was just not concerned with what was happening in the personal lives of his students. Performance in the examinations was the only thing he was worried about. I thought that his obsession with good performance of his students made him incapable of having the great love, I had generally discovered in my teachers.
My B.Sc. results arrived in the 1st week of June 1971. I secured a first division with very good marks. My father was on his death bed at the time. A few days later, he breathed his last. After his last rites, I moved residence to live with my elder brother at Gorakhpur, where I also enrolled for M.Sc. in Chemistry.
In May of 1971 I had appeared at the written examination conducted by UPSC for recruitment in the cadre of “Special Class Railway Apprentices” (SCRA). Its results were announced sometime in August-September. There was good news for me. I had cleared the written tests and had qualified for the Aptitude Test and the Interview.
I was very excited at the prospect of entering the hallowed portals of a great institution like the UPSC that oversaw recruitment of public servants at Class-I level. My brother, with whom I was living at the time at Gorakhpur, decided to accompany me to Delhi. There was one requirement that had to be met. All my certificates and testimonials had to be presented to UPSC in original for verification. These were kept at the earlier residence at Azamgarh. So, I decided to pay a quick visit to Azamgarh and collect the same.
Only a week was left for the interview. I travelled by bus from Gorakhpur to Azamgarh and collected necessary documents. I had planned to return back to Goarkhpur immediately. On way to catch the bus for the return journey, I decided to pay a rather fleeting visit to Shibli National College to see some of my favourite teachers and seek their good wishes. Shaukat Saheb was clearly not in my mind.
My teachers were happy to know that I had qualified in a nation-wide competition. They gave me their good wishes most effusively. One of them, Mr Zakaria of the Physics Department, casually asked me if I had also seen Shaukat Saheb. I answered in the negative. He said, “I suggest that you should see him before you leave this place. Do take his blessings. He will surely be very happy for you.”
Now, I did not have an option. I trudged to the Principal’s chamber, a room that did not evoke very happy memories in my mind. Sahukat Saheb was busy attending to something. I gently knocked at the open door. He gave me a smile of recognition and called me in. There I was, standing once again before Shaukat Saheb. He was busy examining some expenditure details etc. One of the office assistants, Mr Nazeer, was offering him necessary clarifications. I was happy to see Shaukat Saheb occupied with work. I felt that it was going to be really short and sweet.
When Shaukat Saheb had a brief moment to spare, he looked at me with askance. I offered him my salutations and said, “Sir! I have qualified in the written test of SCRA and am going to give my first interview before the UPSC. I have come to seek your blessings.” He nodded gravely and said, “My blessings are always with you.”
Shaukat Saheb inquired as to when the interview was about to take place at Delhi. I gave him the date. He took great interest in where and how I would be staying at Delhi. He generously offered that he could give me a letter of introduction for Mr Chandrajit Yadava, one of the existing MPs from Azamgarh at that time; and, that I could find free stay and boarding at his official residence, which would be very close to UPSC. I told Shaukat Saheb that this would not be necessary as I was going to go to a cousin sister’s place.
At this juncture, Sahukat Saheb suddenly asked me, “Do you need anything?” I politely answered in the negative. With this, I thought that my time with him was over. I was about to take leave of him, when Shaukat Saheb pointed to a chair in front of his table and said, “Come. Sit here. I will take just a little while more.”
I remembered the times when I stood in that room, squirming on the inside and thinking of explanations that I needed to offer for a performance that had failed to impress Shaukat Saheb. Now that I was no longer a student, things had changed and I was being offered a chair. So, I gently eased myself into the chair.
It soon became evident to me that Shaukat Saheb was really busy with something important and won’t be free soon. There were unexpected intrusions too. Many people, including some teachers, walked in from time to time, to have short discussions on pressing matters that could not wait. Being a good student of the college for the last 4 years, I knew many of these people. Shaukat Sahib would proudly mention to each one that I was going to appear before UPSC for an interview.
As a result, sitting there in that room, I received good wishes and words of encouragement from so many more persons than I had ever hoped for. Shaukat Saheb intervened in our conversations many times innocuously directing towards me his previous query if I needed any help with the trip to Delhi. Each time, I repeated my earlier reply that I did not need anything.
I was in a real hurry to move on with my return journey to Gorakhpur. Several times, I slipped forward to the edge of the seat of my chair and caught hold of its arm-rests in a gesture of getting up. The idea was to catch Sahukat Saheb’s attention and indicate to him that I wanted to leave. He did take note of my hurry. But, each time, by slightly raising one hand, he indicated to me to hold back. I slipped back into the chair. May be, a half hour passed this way.
Finally, there arrived the time when Shaukat Saheb had concluded his business for the time being. Nazeer, the office assistant, collected all registers and papers and left. His table clean, Shaukat Saheb put me under his gaze. Once again, he asked, “Do you need anything?” Again, I replied, “No Sir! I do not need anything.” The conversation that followed is something that I can never forget in this life.
Looking into my eyes with great sincerity, Sahukat Saheb said “Son! You do not comprehend what I have been asking you all this while. There were others in this room. Before them, I could not be very explicit. So, I had to keep you waiting. Now that just the two of us are here, I ask you this simple and forthright question - Do you need any financial help for going to Delhi and attending the interview? I know your father is no longer there. So, I have to ask. Please feel free and let me know.”
As I said earlier, I had lost my father just a few months back. For a nineteen year old like me, loss of an affectionate father had created a void in my life. Of course, my two elder brothers had solidly stood by me and were taking care of every need of mine. I certainly did not need any financial help from anyone. But, my loss was recent and I did need as much emotional support as possible.
The fact was that I had gone to some elders, looking for hand of benediction. Yet, I found that these people, some of whom were in some kind of debt from my father, had generally shrunk away from me, perhaps under the apprehension that I might ask for something, they would not be able to refuse. This had hurt me deeply. I had consciously turned away from such people. I was emotionally bruised and wounded.
The kind words of Shaukat Saheb opened all these bruises and wounds. Tears rushed into my eyes. In a voice that was barely audible and was choked with emotion, I said, “Sir! I have to tell you that my two elder brothers are taking very good care of me and I do not need any financial help whatsoever.”
There followed a period of silence. I used this time to collect myself. Shaukat Saheb was also weighing something in his mind. Finally, he opened up. In a voice, full of love and concern, he said, “You have been a good student of this college and have done us proud. Our association does not end with your departure from this place. We have to stand by you always.”
He went on to add, “Son! I know your two elder brothers. They too have been my students. Sure, they will take good care of you always. But, I must tell you something from my experience. A brother, howsoever benevolent, will always treat you as an equal. He will not give you the protection of a father. God forbid, but if a situation were to arise where you feel stranded, do not even for a moment feel that your father is no more. Shaukat Sultan is there. His door is always open for you. Come and ask whatever you need, as a matter of right.”
Again, there followed a period of silence. I was soaking in the fountain of benevolence gushing forth from Shaukat Saheb. Finally, he said, “I know that you will never need any monetary help. But, in the unlikely event, you do not have to compromise on your self-respect. Once you are established in life and have enough, you are always welcome to return to me anything, you take from me.”
With this, nothing remained to be said between the two of us. I was totally speechless. I got up, went around Sahukat Saheb’s table and bowed down to touch his feet. He too got up, looked into my eyes and put the palm of one of his hands over my head as a token of his blessings. Our meeting ended in silence. No words were exchanged.
My bus journey back to Gorakhpur was unusual. I was completely absorbed in myself, wondering how did I become worthy of Shaukat Saheb’s love and concern. I was bowled over completely. I also kept questioning myself about something. How was it that I had missed this sensitive and sweet facet of Shaukat Saheb? I recalled our conversation many times. Each time, I had to hide from other fellow passengers my tears of gratitude.
The event at UPSC was quite an affair - a perfect mirror for some of my weaknesses. I had little mechanical aptitude. It became all the more obvious, as I turned in a disastrous performance at the aptitude test. Academically I had been a good student. But, I was not used to conversing fluently in English. This shortcoming showed at the interview. I spoke haltingly, sometimes through half sentences that my interviewers were kind enough to complete for me. When the final results came, my name was not among the successful candidates. All told, my first encounter with UPSC was a valuable learning experience. It prepared me for other more successful encounters subsequently.
I had gone to Sahukat Saheb looking for his blessings for success at one examination. What he gave me that morning was much more. He gave me the ultimate benediction. I came out of his chamber with the assurance that in him I had ready paternal protection; and, no matter what I could always look up to him for immediate help. Of course, my brothers took wonderful care of me and I never had to seek any help from any other person, including Shaukat Saheb. But, the assurance that Shakat Saheb gave me that day applied the healing touch to the emotional scars caused by my father's sudden death. It remained a tremendous support for me through many years. The self-confidence, it generated, ensured my success in life. In July 1975, I made it into the Indian Revenue Service on the basis of the 1974 Allied Services’ Entrance Examination.
After training at Mussoorie and Nagpur, I was first posted to Kanpur in December 1976. I had thought of going to Azamgarh and paying my respects to Shaukat Saheb in person. Family commitments took me to Gorakhpur on several occasions. But, a visit to Azamgarh did not come through. In 1984, I went away to Mumbai on transfer. Sometime in 1985 or 1986, I came to know that Shaukat Saheb had passed away.
The thought of seeing Shaukat Saheb personally and letting him know how much he and his words of assurance have meant to me in my life has remained a dream. But, I know that to pay my respects to him, I do not need to see him in person. His spirit is alive in my consciousness that reverberates with reverence for him and will continue to do so till my last breath.
Dedicated educationists like Shaukat Saheb are rare in today’s world, ruled by considerations of commerce. Giants like him come here to ignite the hearts and minds of their chosen ones. They also live in those hearts and minds for ever. As a recipient of his loving attention, I not only offer my humble obeisance to Shaukat Saheb but also wish peace and joy to all those, in whose hearts and minds wonderful snippets of his remembrance are vibrating.
